Batman of Ba Sing Se
by Copperhead4
Summary: Zuko was cast out by his father, his face burnt and his beliefs shattered. He finds himself a new face and a new purpose.
1. Chapter 1

**Batman of Ba Sing Se**

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He should not have let Ozai stop him.

That's all Iroh could think of since he saw his nephews ship disappear into the distance. That he should have done more. He loved his nephew like a son but he had allowed his brother to keep him from helping Zuko.

Iroh had planned to help Zuko through this difficult time. Iroh had stayed by Zuko's side as the healers treated his wounds from that horrific Agni Kai. Zuko was not often awake during this time, a mixture of the medicine and fever leaving him drowse and unaware to the world around him, it was good for him however. Sleep would help him regain his strength.

The day after the Agni Kai news had been sent to them that Zuko was to be banished on an impossible mission to find the Avatar, further punishment for his acts of weakness in Ozai's eyes. Zuko had not been awake when the messenger had arrived, they expected him to leave quickly. Far sooner than he could be expected to recover from his injuries. Ozai would send his son into exile while he was not even aware of what happened around him. It would be difficult for Zuko, Iroh knew, he would have no time to prepare himself for the journey. He would wake up in a strange place with his home behind him. Iroh would make it easier for him, he would join Zuko on his journey and would bring some of Zuko's personal belongings with him for when the prince awoke.

But there where something's Iroh knew he could not do for Zuko, like say goodbye to the girl Mai, whom Iroh knew Zuko cared for.

Iroh quickly got to work making the preparations for Zuko. In such a short amount of time Iroh had to find Zuko a ship and a trustworthy crew. Lieutenant Jee had fought under Iroh's command in the past and with some persuasion he had agreed to help. Iroh went about settling some of his own personal business as well, knowing that he may not get another chance.

It was a few hours before they were scheduled to leave. Iroh placed Zuko's knife in a small chest. He was collecting the last of Zuko's cloths and belongings for the journey. The small blade had been a gift from Iroh himself during his siege of Ba Sing Se and had become one of Zuko's most prized belongings. That made Iroh feel just a little bit proud.

As he worked, a messenger entered telling him that The Fire Lord had demanded his presence. That was rather puzzling. Ozai had made it clear that he wanted Zuko gone as quickly as possible and Iroh knew that his brother did not care for him. He should be pleased with his elder brother leaving. No matter how strange, Iroh could not openly defy The Fire Lord so quickly followed the messenger.

The Fire Lord was not in the throne room but in his private office. The servant sent Iroh inside but did not follow himself. Iroh stepped inside where Ozai sat at the desk. As was custom Iroh knelt before The Fire Lord and after a little too long was given permission to rise. Ozai spoke. "You plan to accompany the boy?"

It was phrased as a question but Ozai already knew Iroh's answer. "He will need a guide and a teacher on his journey and I'm willing to offer myself in that capacity." Iroh responded respectfully.

Ozai gave a brief mocking laugh. "And what could you teach him? The ways of tea and failure? It is your kind of weakness that I wish to rid the boy of!"

"You do not like me to be at the palace, so why would you stop me from leaving?" Iroh asked, cutting straight to the point. Iroh had been making these preparations for days. Why was Ozai only questioning him now?

"I do not stop you from leaving. I stop you from traveling with the boy. Suffering will be his teacher, not you." Ozai spat. His eyes filled with contempt for his older brother.

Iroh gave a huff. "I do not know your plan, Ozai, but you will not stop me from going with my nephew." The door opened behind Iroh and the servant from earlier stepped inside and gave a swift nod to Ozai.

"I'm afraid it is too late for that. He's already gone." Ozai said with a smug smile.

"What have you done?" Iroh demanded.

"I prepared my own ship and crew for the boy, as opposed to the one you prepared, to further remove him from your influence." Ozai told him.

When Iroh was excused he went straight to the infirmary where they had kept his nephew, the bed now empty. They had taken Zuko's luggage as well. Iroh hurried to the docks and asked which ship Zuko was on. The harbour master told him that he had seen a group of men carrying him onto a ship. When Iroh asked which one the man pointed out to see at a ship sailing away.

Iroh would have left that very moment if Ozai's men had not stopped him. He was detained for a few more days, each one meaning that Zuko's ship got further away. Iroh did not like it but he could not openly defy The Fire Lord. So Iroh used the time to better prepare himself, planning out a course and how to best help Zuko. He worried for his nephew, he would wake up surrounded by strangers, in pain and confused.

But now Iroh could fix it. Iroh and his crew where coming up on Zuko's ship. It had taken them some time to find the ship after Ozai had given them leave but he would soon be reunited with his nephew.

They brought the ships alongside each other, lowering a bridge between the two. Iroh stepped on board, two firebenders behind him. There was a sense of unease amongst the crew of Zuko's ship as they greeted the old general.

"General Iroh. We were not expecting you." The captain greeted, he was a balding man with a triangle beard.

Iroh gave the man a kind smile. "I've come to help my nephew on his mission."

"No... I mean you can't! The Fire Lord forbid it." The man was clearly very ill at ease.

"Regardless of the Fire Lords orders, I am here to help my nephew." Iroh glanced around the deck. "Where is Zuko?"

"Still sick! In his cabin!" The captain said quickly.

That was on usual. Zuko should have begun to recover by now. They must have treated him poorly, it was the only explanation Iroh could see. It was worse than he thought. Ozai meant to make him suffer through his illness!

"I will go see him." Iroh moved forward but was blocked by the captain.

"No! You mustn't! The healer said… Prince Zuko asked not to be disturbed!" The captain blurted out.

"I think he will make an exception for his uncle." It was then that Iroh noticed something green out of the corner of his eye. On the belt of one of the solider was a knife that he recognised. He pushed past the captain. As he got closer, the details of the weapon became clearer and fear gripped his heart. He snatched it from the man's belt and examined it. He unsheathed the small blade, on one side where the words: _Never give up without a fight_.

It was Zuko's knife. He grabbed the man by the throat. "Why do you have this? Where is my nephew?" He turned back to the captain in a fury. "Where is my nephew?!" He screamed. The captain cowered away from him.

Iroh ordered his men to search the ship. What they found shocked him. No trace of Zuko himself was found on the ship but they found many of his belongings shared out amongst the crew. The swords Iroh had backed for him to practice with where found in a chest in one of the men's quarters. The candles for meditation where in the cooks bag. The worst was a picture of Zuko's mother, one of the few that where left after her disappearance. Iroh had brought it to help comfort Zuko through this trying time. They found what was left of it in an empty fireplace, blackened and burned.

"Where is Zuko?!" Iroh roared at the collection of crew that his men had gathered on the top deck. "What have you done with him?"

* * *

 **Three years later.**

"Get over here and help us look!" Kaito called, keeping his voice low. Bipin ignored him however, still keeping himself flattened against the wall staring out through the warehouse doorway into the night. Eyes flicking from the sky to the street. Why was he put on this job? Kaito thought. This was supposed to be a simple pick up and this guy can't even handle the pressure.

"We already got Ratna and Daruka on watch, Lee is waiting with the wagon so will you get over here and look through the damn crates!" Kaito yelled but not too loud, he didn't want to draw to much attention to their work. Bipin finally looked at him, looking like he was about to go into a full blown panic. His thin moustache twitching and clutching his club like his life depended on it. From what Kaito knew, Bipin had been working for Black Mask nearly as long as Kaito had but only the low level stuff. He hadn't even seen the boss in person until last night.

The idiot decided to speak. "But what if… what if IT shows up?" Bipin asked, his voice shaking.

Kaito gritted his teeth. "I just told you we got three guys on watch! We got six- excuse me five guys in here that is excluding your coward self, all armed so if anyone does show up looking for trouble we'll kill 'em! And to top it all off, we don't need to be scared of a bedtime story!"

Kaito turned away from Bipin, going back to look through the crates. Realising he had finished looking at these ones, he moved further along the row. A simple pick up that's all this was supposed to be but the guy who was supposed to give them the crate number hadn't shown so they were forced to search the warehouse for the right one. Crate by crate. For a simple pick up this was taking way to long.

Alpa, a big man with a bald head and tattooed arms, stopped what he was doing to chuckle. "You don't believe in The Batman do ya, Kaito?"

"No, I don't. Now hurry up and check the crates." He answered sharply.

"You seem to be in an awful hurry though." Rokurou teased. "You sure you're not a little bit scared?"

Kaito looked up speaking to all of them now. "I'm in a hurry because the boss is expecting this done tonight, but if you like we can take all the time you need. So when we get back and the boss asks us why we took so long I can tell him every one was either too damn lazy or too damn scared to get the job done!" He let that sink in for a moment. "And then the boss can decide what he's going to do to you."

Everyone went back to work then. Except for Bipin, who edging his way back to the wall. Each of the six had a small lamp, enough light to see if you held it close enough to the crate but not enough to get rid of the darkness from the room or attract too much attention.

Alpa scoffed. "If you want to tell Black Mask why we took so long, you tell him that this guy didn't show. Not our fault. Besides, someone tries to possum chicken out on Black Mask they deserve whatever he does to them. No one cheats the boss." That at least Kaito could agree on.

Rokurou spoke up. "What if he didn't possum chicken out?" They all looked at Rokurou. "What if he was taken… by The Batman?!" He then made an exaggerated ghostly wail at Bipin.

Alpa and the two others whose names he couldn't remember laughed. Bipin didn't.

"So, you think Batman's real, Roku?" Alpa asked.

"Yeah' I mean people are seeing something right?" Rokurou said.

Kaito was sick of this. "No he's not! Some idiot thinks they see something and tells someone about it, then they tell someone and so on 'til when someone messes up a job and uses it as a dumb excuse. It catches on and it's everywhere. Now everyone thinks there's eight foot tall bat monster prowling the streets beating up criminals." He wanted it left at that so they could get back to work but Rokurou leaned forward across the crates.

"Okay if there is nothing out there, what's been messing with Penguin, The Ghost Dragons, The Monkey Fist Cult?" Rokurou asked.

"What do you think it is Rokurou?" Alpa asked.

"A wolfbat, a big wolfbat but still just a wolfbat." Rokurou sat on one of the crates. "See as the wars gone on, with all the dead bodies, the wolfbats have had more to eat so they've gotten bigger. So now they're so big that they can just snatch people up in the middle of the night." Alpa laughed.

"Hope Bipin's right and one comes here." Rokurou continued. "I need me a new coat and how many people do you know with a wolfbat coat?" Rokurou spun his sword.

"None." Alpa said, both of them laughing.

"It's a spirit." Bipin said in a haunted voice, eyes staring straight at them. "You hear what people say? No way it's just an animal. People say it's like a living shadow. Something that fast, that strong, that angry? It has to be a spirit. The war, all the broken people left in its wake that come here, the crime in the city, we've angered them."

They all stared at Bipin. _He's losing it_. Kaito thought.

Apparently it was Alpa's turn to share a theory because he spoke next. "It could be the Avatar." _This is ridicules._ Kaito thought. They had stopped work completely to talk about an urban legend.

"You think it's the Avatar?" One of the nameless ones asked, the other one was ignoring the conversation and was still working.

"Yeah. All the stuff they say he can do, no one bender could do that so he has to be bending all four elements. He uses earthbending to make it look like he can walk through walls and disappear and stuff. Firebending to destroy people's weapons. Airbending to move really fast and make it look like he can fly and it's why no one can beat him because he has his Avatar powers."

The nameless one asked another question. "If he is the Avatar why is he hiding in Ba Sing Se instead of fighting the war?"

"Practice?" Rokurou offered with a smile.

Alpa laughed. "I hope he comes here as well. We could catch him give him to Black Mask and he could sell him to the Fire lord."

"I've found it."

They all turned to the other nameless one. Kaito picked up his lantern and pushed past the others who all picked up their own lanterns and followed him over. They held the lanterns close to one another to make it brighter. _This is it_. Kaito thought. "Let's get it loaded up and get out of here." He picked up his own lantern and started walking to the door to get Lee and the wagon. "Oh, and sorry to disappoint every one put no Batman tonight."

Something dark flew through the air, smashing all the lanterns that where resting on the crate, and extinguishing the light. The only one left was the one in Kaito's hand. A shadow crossed above their heads and landed on top of one of the nameless ones, smashing him into the ground.

Alpa swung at the shadow with his pole axe but the shadow ducked beneath it. Then it kicked one of Alpa's legs, forcing him to his knees before delivering another powerful kick to the face. Leaving Alpa lying on his back.

Rokurou swung his sword at the shadow but his arm was stopped mid strike. The shadow then punched him in the face with a sickening thud, staggering him back. The nameless one that was still standing tried to stab it but it dodged, grabbed his arm and smashed an elbow into the side of his head knocking him out. Rokurou charged at the shadow but it grabbed him as he was running and used the momentum to throw him into a crate.

Alpa managed to climb back to his feet. Striking down at the shadow with his axe, trying to split the creature in half. It evaded, kicked off from one of the crates to get high enough into the air to come back down, driving an elbow onto the top of Alpa's head, knocking him out.

Kaito turned and ran, making it to the door. The moon was out now. Something pushed him in the back he spun around with his sword draw. It was Bipin. He was about to say something but in an instant something latched around Bipin's legs with a snap. Pulling him off his feet and dragging him into the darkness.

"HELP ME!" Bipin screamed.

Then silence.

Kaito ran for the wagon. Looking back over his shoulder. A shadow scaling the walls and roofs of the buildings. He made it to where the wagon had been waiting and yelled for Badger to move put then he saw. The ostrich horse was cut free. Lee, Ratna and Daruka lay unmoving in the back of the wagon.

He spun on his heels to try and find a way out. Then he saw it. Rushing towards him. He swung his sword, screaming. "Get Away!"

The shadow struck his hand, knocking the sword from his grasp. A vice-like finger gripped his throat. And then a fist struck him.

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Old story I decided to re-upload.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**Batman of Ba Sing Se**

* * *

Long Feng sat in his office. The green light from the fireplace on the opposite side of the room caused shadows to flicker against the walls. The Grand Secretariat sat behind his large wooden desk studying the pages of a large tome he had taken from the wall behind him.

The walls of the room where covered with high shelves. Each one crowded with scrolls, books, letters and reports. The information they held varied from the extraordinary to the mundane but all of it was necessary to ensure he remained in control of his city. The book he was reading at the moment was nothing too important. He was just trying to keep himself occupied while he waited for one of his Dai Li agents to tell him that his guest had arrived. Black Mask, the crime lord.

Long Feng did not have to wait for much longer. The door to the office opened and a Dai Li agent slipped in. "He's arrived."

He followed the agent through the halls of the palace until they came to a wall where another Dai Li agent was waiting. As they approached the second Dai Li agent used his earthbending to sink a section of the wall into the ground, revealing a hidden passageway.

The first Dai Li agent entered the passage, lighting a torch before they descended the stone stairs into the darkness. Long Feng followed with the second Dai Li agent entering last before closing the doorway behind them. They began to make their way down the narrow steps. Long Feng walking in-between the two agents, a torch in front leading the way. The steps winded around as they headed deeper beneath Ba Sing Se.

Eventually the passage lead into a much larger stone tunnel, illuminated by clusters of glowing, green crystals. It was part of the old crystal catacombs. Ba Sing Se was filled with places like this and Long Feng made sure to make use of them. Like the facility beneath Lake Laogai or in this case to have a meeting with the city's biggest crime lord.

After walking a while longer Long Feng arrived at a small, circular cavern with tunnels on either side. The one Long Feng had entered through and another on the opposite side. Waiting inside the cavern where eight more of his Dai Li, set into two rows of four along his side of the room.

In the middle of the room was a crudely made stone table with a flat mound of rock on either side to act as chairs.

Sitting behind the table, facing Long Feng, was Hanzai-sha. The Black Mask. He dressed in fine white robes, as if he was attending a funeral, accented with dark black trim. The clothing appeared to be almost Fire Nation in style. Not surprising considering the man that was wearing it hailed from the Fire Nation colonies by birth. Normally, this fact alone would have been enough for Long Feng to move into action and detain him however Hanzai-sha had always put his own personal gain ahead of that of his nation. As is to be expected from any successful criminal.

By far the most striking aspect of his appearance was the black Oni mask he wore over his face. The only colour on the mask was the bright, white teeth in the masks snarling mouth. His hair, ears and neck where hidden by a hood he had pulled down over his head. The mask hide his eyes and mouth leaving no hint of his true expression.

Hanzai-sha had brought ten of his own men with him. They stood along his side of the room in no particular formation. Although they all dressed similarly none of them wore the exact same clothes. They dressed in the kind of clothes that someone from the middle ring would consider 'formal`. Clearly these where clothes they had bought themselves rather than any kind of uniform. Their clothes where black and brown and different shades of green, not one piece of clothing match another that someone else was wearing. That is with the exception of the simple black masks they wore over their own faces. The masks they wore where nothing but pieces of black wood carved into crude, skull-like faces. These masks did not hide the wearer's eyes. Long Feng could see that the thugs where watching his Dai Li agents intently. The thugs carried a variety of weapons and though Hanzai-sha had undoubtable brought capable fighters with him Long Feng was certain they would not last long against the Dai Li, even if Hanzai-sha had hidden an earthbender or two amongst his men.

Long Feng sat down at the table. "To what do I owe this visit, I wonder?"

"You know damn well why I'm here." Hanzai-sha replied with a harsh voice.

Long Feng internally scowled. It had never been easy to stomach Hanzai-sha disrespectful nature. To think that this up jumped criminal thought he could speak to him that way! He allowed the criminal speak as he wished however because he knew that he had all of the real power and if Hanzai-sha ever chose to over step, that he could end him swiftly. But in any case he knew why he was here.

"Ah, yes. The supposed 'Batman`." Long Feng smiled. "I never took you for a superstitious man, Hanzai-sha."

Black Mask leaned forward. "I'm not."

"Really? Because it seems that you must be quite concerned about this urban myth to come to me about it. What theory do you subscribe too? Do you believe its some kind of enraged spirit? Or perhaps a horrific bat monster?"

"It doesn't matter what it is. All that matters is what it's doing." Hanzai-sha growled from behind his mask. "It's going after my men."

Long Feng smirked. "A few of your street thugs being put behind bars is hardly a problem. It reassures the citizens that their city is safe." He said it as if he was speaking to the masses themselves. With false cheer and feigned politeness. "Besides you have more than enough to spare." He nodded to the thugs standing behind Black Mask.

"I agree but it doesn't stop there. Whatever this thing is it started going after the guys higher up the ladder. Bigger parts of my organisation. I'm guessing you know about that shipment of Air Nomad artefacts that I was bringing into the city?"

Long Feng nodded. He had known about the arrival of the artefacts for some time before they even arrived in the city. He had also been rather surprised that Black Mask had been able to acquire them at all. Air Nomad relics where vanishingly rare, with most of the artefacts having been destroyed along with the Air Benders themselves at the start of the war. It was highly unlikely he had found any in the Earth Kingdom leaving only the Fire Nation as the source of the artefacts. That was something Long Feng would need to look into further.

"It took a lot of effort to find those artefacts and bring `em here." Hanzai-sha continued. "I had a list of nobles and upper ring snobs the length of my arm ready to buy. Now they're sitting in a guard lock up in the middle ring with a bunch of rats from university asking that they be donated to the university for 'cultural study'!" He yelled. "Whatever this Batman is it's costing me money!"

The Grand Secretariat sat there thinking for a brief moment. He could offer his help to the crime lord in dealing with this problem however he was unsure if he should. If Black Mask was having problems dealing with this single interference was he worth helping at all? Their partnership had benefited Long Feng in many ways over the years but if Hanzai-sha was losing control perhaps it was best to move onto another crime lord. He considered for only a moment before dismissing the idea. Though there were a few other large criminal organisations in the city none where as large as Black Mask's operation and from the information that Long Feng had gathered they were being hit just as hard by this Bat creature.

Coming to his decisions Long Feng spoke. "If I am to help you deal with this bat problem what would I be getting in return?" Rather than the response he had expected from Black Mask, the crime lord gave a bark of laughter.

"I'm not asking for a favour. I'm asking that we deal with this thing as a mutual problem." Black Mask explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I fail to see how this is my problem!" Long Feng declared. "This creature has been going after criminals not members of the Earth Kings court!"

"And here's me thinking that they are one in the same." Black Mask retorted. "It may not be going after you or your Dai Li but that won't last long. It's already been going after the members of the city watch I have on my pay role, and the ones that aren't. As long as they're corrupt. How long before it starts going after the rest of the corruption?" He pointed a finger at Long Feng's chest. "We're not the only ones to notice what this things been doing, either. The people know. They're talking about this thing! Telling stories about it! Some don't believe it's real, some are scared but some believe in what it's doing! How long do you think it will be before they decide to stop paying their protection money? To stop doing as we tell them?" Black Mask leaned back. "How long before their not afraid of you anymore?"

Long Feng barely suppressed his rage. "You come to me and demand my help to deal with a… urban legend without offering any payment for my assistance! And then you insult me! This creature is no threat to the stability of Ba Sing Se! You are nothing more than a criminal! Your problems are far beneath me!"

Black Mask gave an exasperated sigh as he stood up from his chair. "That's always been your problem." Black Mask began readying himself to leave, fixing his cuffs and straightening the collar of his clothes. "You think no one can challenge you. No one's more powerful. That you can out smart anyone. You think you're above everyone but last I checked." He glanced around the stone cavern. "You're down here in the dirt with me."

Long Feng was seething. "Unless you have something worthwhile to offer me get out!"

"I'm going." Hanzai-sha replied casually. "Your help would have made things easier but I'll deal with the bat by myself."

"Fine." Long Feng replied, standing up, ready to leave.

"But I have to wonder." Black Mask spoke suddenly as they were both leaving. Long Feng stopped to listen. "Why you haven't dealt with the bat already? A dangerous new element in the city. Maybe you don't as much about the bat as you'd like?"

"Get out!" Long Feng commanded. Without another word Black Mask and his thugs exited out of the chamber thorough the opposite tunnel. Long Feng made his way back the way he had enter, now with ten Dai Li agents with him in a procession of two rows of five. Two in the front where carrying torches and so where two in the back. As they walked Long Feng considered Black Mask's words. The head of the Dai Li did not know as much about the batman as he would like. As of now that would change.

He called to one of the Dai Li walking a few paces behind him, the agent stepped forward. "I want you to find out everything you can about this batman creature." Long Feng instructed. "What it is, where it's from, what it plans to do and anything else you can discover. Send as many agents as you can."

"What are we to do once we discover this information?" The agent asked respectfully.

"I will assess the situation and if I deem so necessary, we'll destroy it. Whatever it is."

* * *

So this is the second chapter of this story. I'm working on other stories at the moment but I had an idea for this chapter and decided to continue. If you wold like me to continue the story let me know.

Your own opinions and ideas for the story are welcome. Let me know what you think, anything that needs improving and if everybody seems in character. Leave a review or use private messaging.

Thanks for reading.


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